tdr x 99 nitf
91
4The yellow daycare bus rattled along the bumpy backroad, the sun sinking lower behind the trees.
Nathan sat near the front, arms crossed, visor glinting faintly, directing Chef Hatchet like a navigator.
Nathan: “Left at the fork— that’s the safe route. No patrols, no hostile wildlife.”
Chef Hatchet: “Relax, soldier. I got this. Ain’t no deer or raccoon gonna scare me.”
That’s when it happened.
A deer stepped into the road.
Not just any deer — its neck bent unnaturally, head tilted far too far, eyes glowing in the dusky light. It didn’t blink. It didn’t move.
Chef Hatchet’s hands trembled on the wheel.
Chef Hatchet: “Nope. Nope! This ain’t natural!”
Instead of braking, he swerved hard right — directly off Nathan’s safe route.
The bus hit a slope, rolled onto a dirt path, and CRASHED into the treeline.
Crash Site
No casualties, but the bus was tilted in mud with smoke rising from the hood. The kids screamed and scrambled out, while the Inklings quickly secured the area.
Chef Hatchet began muttering curses as he pulled tools from the emergency kit.
Nathan’s Inklings started assessing the engine, hammering dents out of the side and setting up temporary floodlights.
The forest around them was too quiet.
First Clue
As the group tried to shake off the crash, Gwen noticed something nailed to a nearby tree — a wooden board with faded photographs and names.
"MISSING – 4 LOCAL CHILDREN"
dino kid kraken kid squid kid and koala kid
The photos were old. The corners of the board were cracked and splintered, as if it had been there for years.
Gwen: “Great. Creepy forest, creepy deer, now missing kids? We are so gonna die.”
Nathan: (checking the surroundings) “Not if we find them first. This forest isn’t safe at night.”
Tension Building
Owen swore he saw shadows moving between the trees. Jude claimed the deer was still watching them from the distance. Duncan kept pacing, muttering about “slasher movie rules.”
Nathan gathered the group.
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